Pilot/Controller Glossary 

12/2/21 

STANDARD RATE TURN

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 A turn of three degrees 

per second. 

STANDARD TERMINAL ARRIVAL (STAR)

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 A 

preplanned instrument flight rule (IFR) air traffic 
control arrival procedure published for pilot use in 
graphic and/or textual form. STARs provide 
transition from the en route structure to an outer fix 
or an instrument approach fix/arrival waypoint in the 
terminal area. 

STANDARD TERMINAL ARRIVAL CHARTS

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(See AERONAUTICAL CHART.) 

STANDARD TERMINAL AUTOMATION RE­
PLACEMENT SYSTEM (STARS)

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(See DTAS.) 

STAR

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(See STANDARD TERMINAL ARRIVAL.) 

STATE AIRCRAFT

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  Aircraft used in military, 

customs and police service, in the exclusive service 
of any government or of any political subdivision 
thereof, including the government of any state, 
territory, or possession of the United States or the 
District of Columbia, but not including any 
government­owned aircraft engaged in carrying 
persons or property for commercial purposes. 

STATIC RESTRICTIONS

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 Those restrictions that 

are usually not subject to change, fixed, in place, 
and/or published. 

STATIONARY ALTITUDE RESERVATION 
(STATIONARY ALTRV)– An altitude reservation 
which encompasses activities in a fixed area. 
Stationary ALTRVs may include activities such as 
special tests of weapons systems or equipment; 
certain U.S. Navy carrier, fleet, and anti

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submarine 

operations; rocket, missile, and drone operations; and 
certain aerial refueling or similar operations. 

STEP TAXI

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 To taxi a float plane at full power or 

high RPM. 

STEP TURN

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 A maneuver used to put a float plane 

in a planing configuration prior to entering an active 
sea lane for takeoff. The STEP TURN maneuver 
should only be used upon pilot request. 

STEPDOWN FIX

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 A fix permitting additional 

descent within a segment of an instrument approach 
procedure by identifying a point at which a 
controlling obstacle has been safely overflown. 

STEREO ROUTE

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 A routinely used route of flight 

established by users and ARTCCs identified by a 
coded name; e.g., ALPHA 2. These routes minimize 
flight plan handling and communications. 

STNR ALT RESERVATION– An abbreviation for 
Stationary Altitude Reservation commonly used in 
NOTAMs. 

(See STATIONARY ALTITUDE RESERVATION.) 

STOL AIRCRAFT

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(See SHORT TAKEOFF AND LANDING 

AIRCRAFT.) 

STOP ALTITUDE SQUAWK

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 Used by ATC to 

instruct a pilot to turn off the automatic altitude 
reporting feature of the aircraft transponder and 
ADS

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B Out. It is issued when a verbally reported 

altitude varies by 300 feet or more from the automatic 
altitude report. 

(See ALTITUDE READOUT.) 
(See TRANSPONDER.) 

STOP AND GO

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 A procedure wherein an aircraft 

will land, make a complete stop on the runway, and 
then commence a takeoff from that point. 

(See LOW APPROACH.) 
(See OPTION APPROACH.) 

STOP BURST

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(See STOP STREAM.) 

STOP BUZZER

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(See STOP STREAM.) 

STOP SQUAWK (Mode or Code)

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 Used by ATC to 

instruct a pilot to stop transponder and ADS

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B 

transmissions, or to turn off only specified functions 
of the aircraft transponder (military). 

(See STOP ALTITUDE SQUAWK.) 
(See TRANSPONDER.) 

STOP STREAM

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 Used by ATC to request a pilot to 

suspend electronic attack activity. 

(See JAMMING.) 

STOPOVER FLIGHT PLAN

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 A flight plan format 

which permits in a single submission the filing of a 
sequence of flight plans through interim full­stop 
destinations to a final destination. 

STOPWAY

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 An area beyond the takeoff runway no 

less wide than the runway and centered upon the 
extended centerline of the runway, able to support the 
airplane during an aborted takeoff, without causing 
structural damage to the airplane, and designated by 
the airport authorities for use in decelerating the 
airplane during an aborted takeoff. 

PCG S

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